


Say my name

by GoForGoals



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Falling In Love, Fluff, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-16 09:50:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8097559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoForGoals/pseuds/GoForGoals
Summary: Bond is always up for a challenge and his new quartermaster is challenging him from day one on.Will 007 solve all of Q's mysteries and is there something he is also hiding? 
Slow build, a lot of fluff and later smut. :-)





	1. The first mission.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there,
> 
> originally based in the Football RPF fandom, this is my first 00Q-fic. Although I have watched all 007 movies (with Skyfall being my favorite) and although I fell for Bond and Q in this movie right from the start, I only now found the courage to start my own fic here. Probably I'm a bit late to the party but I hope that you will like the story anyway. 
> 
> Feedback is always very welcome, I appreciate every kudo and every comment. Please note that English isn't my first language. 
> 
> A massive thanks goes to my friend and beta Blue_Night who is always there for me. :-)

_„I’m your new quartermaster.“_  
  
The words that would change Bond’s life forever had echoed in his mind throughout the entire first mission he had done with Q in his ear.  
  
The young pup had guided him with his sonorous voice through all the mess he had caused, while he had negotiated with villains, while he had gotten involved in a shooting, and while assassins had hunted him. All the time, Q’s voice had stayed remarkably calm and focused, and by the end of the first week he had spent under his new quartermaster’s supervision, Bond had wondered how much this voice had calmed him down during hazardous situations.  
  
_„I’m your new quartermaster.“_  
  
He should have known it before and probably, he had done so. Although MI6 was full of idiots, bastards entangled in their arrogance, even traitors trying to sell their secrets, but no one would ever hire a quartermaster who wasn’t perfectly suitable for the job.  
  
But Q was so young, so bloody damn young.  
  
Or was Bond only getting old? He didn’t know and he didn’t want to think about it, anyway.  
  
With one huge sip, he gulped down his whiskey, flirting with the blonde stewardess just to get another drink although he had already had three.  
  
However, the flight back to London from Asia was a long one and the mission had been rough, so he allowed himself to get drunk to ease the last tension that always remained in his body for some days after a successfully finished task.

It was this tension that still kept him alive, the wariness he had gotten used to. Trusting no one else but himself.  
  
And maybe Q. _Maybe._  
  
The stewardess offered Bond another drink, and he let the ice cubes cling in the glass, staring out of the window and straight into the sunset. How the heck had the quartermaster managed that he had started to trust him after only one ridiculous mission they had been in together, Bond in the field and Q the omniscient voice in his ear?  
  
Because they had understood each other blindly.  
  
All the teasing during their first meeting in the National Gallery had only been a prospect of the banter they had started through the comm already from day one on, Bond finally having an equal counterpart. And hell, the boy was hardly grown-up, how did he do that?  
  
Dizzy from the alcohol, Bond remembered the first time Q had called in and he smirked.  
  
_„007?“_ the pup had asked, his voice resonating through the plug in Bond’s ear, catching him while he had haunted the target in one of Hong Kong’s hugest shopping complexes.

 _„Q,“_ Bond had answered, creeping closer to his aim, _„nice to hear you.“_  
  
_„The pleasure is all mine, Commander Bond,“_ Q had replied with generosity, just to give him a clear order afterwards. _„There’s a hallway to your left, take it and cut the way short.“_  
  
_„Whoa, straight into business,“_ Bond had murmured, taking the direction Q had sent him to, obviously using the CCTV in the center and other sources only he know where they came from.  
  
_„I don’t think that you’re up for a small talk with two armed men following you. At six o’clock, coming closer. Enter the shop on your right.“_  
  
_„Q, it’s a shop for crafting. I don’t think that I need scissors to kill the target, the gun you designed especially for me will do perfectly fine.“_  
  
_„Russia, December 2010?“_ was all Q had replied dryly.  
  
_„Did you learn my file by heart?!“_ , Bond had snorted, remembering the incident when he had indeed taken tinker scissors to deactivate a bomb that was about to explode, blowing a whole factory.  
  
_„Probably there’s not much I don’t know about you, 007. But watch out. The trackers are ten meters behind you. Enter that shop and go straight to the other end and to the door there.“_ Q’s voice didn’t show any signs of strain although Bond could detect his persecutors in the crowd and his heartbeat had paced up, the adrenaline deliciously floating his system.

 _„It’s an emergency exit, there will be an alarm if I open the door“,_ he had grunted, against better knowledge.  
  
_„Bond.“_ Q had sounded as if he was soothing a toddler. _„Do it. Now.“_  
  
As always, Bond had made the decision out of an instinct - and probably out of listening to Q’s voice – he had opened the door and slipped through it. Of course, there had been no alarm signal, he had only listened to Q’s fingers typing frantically on his keyboard, while he had run the staircase behind the door downwards.

But when his followers had opened the door again to hunt him, the sound of the alert had rung through the entire floor level, alarming security men and causing a mess that he had used to escape and to reenter the shopping center on a lower level.  
  
_„Clever boy,“_ Bond had murmured through the comm, not caring about the fact that Q was his superior.  
  
_„I’m going to take that as a compliment,“_ Q had replied, _„if you continue to listen to me. You’ll have to take the escalators to the third floor again, the target is standing in front of the newspaper shop there.“_  
  
_„Reading educates?“_  
  
_„As long as you don’t get into the radius of the gun that he is hiding under a ‚New York Times‘ it does, yes.“_

 _„Q?“_ Bond had asked, standing on the escalator, his aim in plain view.

_„Commander Bond?“_

_„You can sign off now, you don’t have to listen and watch while I finish the job.“_ Both of them had known what „finishing the job“ meant. Bond hadn’t understood why he had wanted to spare the pup although he was aware that the youngster had to get used to his missions. Probably because he _was_ still a pup, that is.

 _„007,“_ Q had answered politely. _„Your job is to liquidate the target. My job is to bring you home in one piece. Well, you and my precious equipment, to be precise.“_  
  
_„I can’t guarantee for the latter,“_ Bond had muttered before he had pulled the trigger like so many times before.

„Sir? Would you like to have anything else?“ The stewardess brought him back to reality and briefly, Bond considered to take another whiskey. Instead, he shook his head and closed his eyes, the plug and with it the connection to Q still in his ear.


	2. Those letter named people...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the warm welcome here in this fandom! I hope that you will like the second chapter of my first 00Q-fic. Feedback is always very appreciated. :-)
> 
> Credits for the wonderful beta go to my friend Blue_Night - thank you, sweetie!

One day later, Bond returned to HQ for the debriefing, the jet lag still in his bones. The older he got, the less his body cooperated, all the scars a clear sign of what he had demanded from himself during the years in Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Yet, he was still in an excellent shape, much fitter than some of the youngsters. He only needed more time to regenerate.

„James!“ Eve fluted when he entered the office, „great to have you back. M is already waiting for you.“ She pointed at the door and guided him inside, much to Bond’s dislike. He had had other plans first and was displeased that they would have to wait.

„Thank you, Moneypenny,“ he replied, bowing slightly before her, facing M afterwards.

As always, the debriefing was the most annoying part of the whole mission. M asked endless questions that Bond answered with his mind somewhere else. He wasn’t made for offices and for writing long documents; not at all.

„So what about your new quartermaster?“ M eventually wanted to know, closing the file in front of her. „Are you satisfied with his work?“

A crooked smile lit up Bond’s face. „Absolutely, M,“ he said with nonchalance. „The bo... Q is very special, to say the least. By the way, doesn’t he have a proper name?!“ Expectantly, Bond looked at M. Truth to be told, he had mused a lot about Q’s real name. Was it Ken? Or maybe a longer name like Philipp? Or an extraordinary choice? Something more classical?

„He has a proper name,“ M replied startled, „it’s Q,“ she then stated as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

„Haha, very funny,“ Bond grumbled. „You know that I didn’t mean that.“

„I guess you’ll have to ask him himself, then, 007,“ M dismissed him, earning a frown from her agent she decided not to answer.

 

***

 

To Bond’s disappointment, Q-Branch was empty. No, it wasn’t empty, of course, all the minions were busy at work. Only Q wasn’t there.

„Where’s your boss?“ Bond asked one of the minions casually, but he only nodded into the direction of R, Q’s deputy. If the man had been bitter about Q becoming the new quartermaster instead of him, he didn’t let show it.

„007,“ R came over to him, „how can I help you?“

„Was looking for Q,“ Bond muttered, suddenly embarrassed, but then he strengthened his shoulders. There was no way that he would become insecure in front of one of those letter named people. „By the way, why don’t you have proper names, R?“ he complained, stressing the last word, „or are you rather T? What do you do when you’re through the whole alphabet?“

„Uh, I’m R and we do have names for sure,“ R answered shyly, „we only don’t use them here because it’s easier this way.“ Bond could only roll his eyes. Surely they all had names, did R, X, Z - or whoever he was - think that he was dense? He was talking to a double-oh at least.

„Never mind,“ Bond shrugged, sensing that he had reached a dead-end, „so where’s Q?“

„He left this morning together with 009 on a mission. Should be back in three days“, R reported.

The wave of anger that crashed over Bond surprised him himself. „He’s on a bloody mission? What does he do there, he isn’t trained to be a field agent for fuck’s sake!“ Bond swore to himself that he would find out which idiot had ordered Q to leave HQ, just days after he had become slightly familiar with his new quartermaster, endangering him for a task he wasn’t suitable for. „I wanted to bring back my equipment,“ Bond finally added, getting his temper under control. There were only rare occasions when he allowed himself to fly off the handle but HQ was a place where he didn’t spare anybody from his rage.

„You can give it to me,“ R suggested, reaching out his hands to Bond, who measured him with his gaze from head to toe.

„No,“ was all the agent replied, not caring about the hidden glances of surprise from the minions, before he turned around abruptly and left Q-Branch.

 

***

 

„Where’s Q? Dammit, why doesn’t the boy have an appropriate name I can call him by!“ Bond cursed, leaning against Moneypenny’s desk. „Come on, Eve, tell me,“ he tried his luck.

„His name or where he is, James? You have to be precise,“ Moneypenny replied under her eyelashes. She loved to tease Bond, and he had gotten used to their little game, enjoying it as a welcomed distraction. But, not today. Today, he had to play another card to get what he wanted.

„Both,“ Bond whispered secretly, looking Eve deep in the eyes. „You’re the heart of MI6, you surely know where he is and which name stands in his passport. In his _real_ passport, I mean.“

Eve chuckled. „Try again, darling,“ she challenged him. „You can do so much better if you want to. And why are you so obsessed with Q all of a sudden?“

„I want to thank him for bringing me home safely,“ Bond replied, and it wasn’t even a lie. „It was our first mission together and he did pretty well. For the pup he still is.“

„How sweet of you,“ Eve returned. „Then I don’t want to be a bad sport and fulfill you request at least partly. He’s with 009 in Berlin. There’s a meeting of computer specialists and we expect an hacker to be there. Q should get in contact with him, presenting him to 009.“

„I don’t like it,“ Bond stated, out of a sudden bad feeling that pooled in his guts. „Do they need a back-up? Yes, they do, 009 is a bloody newcomer! I could be there in a few hours, they could use some help from an experienced field agent,“ he added confidently.

„You’re going nowhere, 007,“ M stepped out of her office, determined. Damn, that woman had a sixth sense for always showing up in the wrong moments. „You’re supposed to have a few days off after returning from Asia and I advise that you take them. You’re not getting any younger, Bond.“

007 hated that she was right. Yet, as much as he also loathed vacations because he always felt useless and had too much time for thinking, then - this time, he agreed surprisingly quickly to her order. „Yeah, I could need a little holiday anyway,“ he stated with his usual pokerface. „You’re right, I sign off. M, Moneypenny,“ he cut the two women short who exchanged a quick look before he left the office.

Two hours later, Bond was on a flight to Berlin.


	3. Arrival in Berlin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, thank you so much for your feedback, for the kudos and comments! Here's the third chapter of my little story, I hope that you will enjoy it.
> 
> My dear Blue_Night took care of the update, thank you for your beta-reading, sweetie! :-*

As soon as the plane took off, heading to Berlin, Bond leaned back in his comfortable seat, very much satisfied with himself. Before he had boarded the aircraft, he had managed to get a room in the hotel the conference was situated. And he hadn’t needed any hacker skills to get into the booking system like Q probably would have done, letting his name miraculously pop up on the reservation list.

No, he had used the good, old techniques and had called an acquaintance. Okay, it had been a female friend he once had slept with, but he banned the thought because his own behavior suddenly felt sour in his mind. The result counted and in this case, said result was a huge suite in the penthouse area of the conference hotel. Bond was looking forward to the view over the city, the warm and pleasant whirlpool and the huge space he would find there.

Perhaps, he was also looking forward to see Q. To protect him. Just a little bit, in case that something went wrong.

The agent sighed and glimpsed out of the window of the plane, ordering a drink when the stewardess came to his service. She tried to flirt with him but this time, he wasn’t in the mood to reply her advances. After all, he was not on duty, savoring his vacation. Which meant that he didn’t need to lure anybody into his bed to get some information.

The flight passed by quietly, and 007 even dozed off for some minutes, awakening only when the aircraft touched the ground. He had always wanted to visit Berlin for a few days, doing sightseeing and being a witness of the impressive monuments of history in the German capital. A lot of agents had been involved in Berlin’s past, in the fall of the Wall and the end of the Cold War.

In no hurry, Bond grabbed his suitcase and left the airport to get a taxi that would bring him to his hotel. He had informed himself about the hacker’s conference beforehand, learning that most of the participants would stay in the same accommodation. Most likely also Q and 009.

His plan was to watch them from some distance, using his abilities to almost vanish into thin air while observing a target. From time to time, he would stroll around in the city, when he knew that Q was safe.

_That Q was safe._

Why the hell was his new Quartermaster so important to him? Bond wasn’t a fool and although he was a true master in pushing away his feelings, hiding them under a stern mask, he was quite aware that his behavior wasn’t normal.

But, he wouldn’t find out why he wanted to protect Q if he didn’t do exactly that - protecting him.

„Welcome to our hotel,“ the friendly and very attractive woman on the counter greeted him, her eyes traveling appraisingly over his body. For a short moment, 007 was tempted to play his usual role, to return the hungry gaze, but then he shook his head, more to himself.

It felt wrong, just as wrong as it had felt with the stewardess in the plane. He needed a break from all this seducing stuff.

Against his usual habits, Bond denied the offer to let a clerk bring his suitcase to his suite. At the moment, he couldn’t stand people around him, trying to please him. He wanted - _he needed_ \- to be alone to sort some things out. And to get a clue which mission was going on here.

He had already surfed the internet - _yes, not only Q was prone to digital media_ \- learning more about the schedule of the hacker’s conference. Which in fact was a „retired hackers“ conference. Bond however was pretty sure that some of the genies who had come to Berlin were still active, and he was also sure that the more important part of this conference didn’t take part in the daily agenda with all the lectures and the crammed program.

No, the hackers attended the event to get into touch with each other, to have hidden talks during the breaks and in the evenings. Bond didn’t even want to know which secrets the walls of the hotel would witness within the next three days. Although he could handle a smartphone and for sure the World Wide Web, he was very aware that Q could play these channels like a virtuous pianist. That was why M had sent him here.

With a little „pling“, the elevator arrived on the 11th level of the hotel where his suite was located. The thick carpet suffocated his steps while he walked through the large hallway to the very end, finally finding his room. The wheels of his trolley had left small traces behind and he looked surprised at them. Normally, he wouldn’t have pulled his suitcase like this over the carpet, always eager to not leave any proof of his existence anywhere. But, this was vacation after all.  
  
Another, slightly different sounding „pling“ announced that the key card was accepted and the door to Bond’s hotel suite sprung open without any effort. He nudged it a little bit, glimpsing inside without stepping closer at first.

The sight over Berlin was breathtaking, enormous windows granting the best view possible. The huge living room with luxurious furniture contained fresh flowers on the table that already penetrated his nose with their sweet scent. Left ajar, the door to the master bedroom gave way to a bed that was almost obscenely huge. But when Bond’s gaze traveled to the other side of the suite, his senses were on alert faster than he could catch a clear thought.

His body strengthened almost without him giving the command. Simultaneously, he felt the blood running faster through his system, the fine hairs on his arms erected.

Somebody was already inside his suite.

In one corner of the living room stood a big armchair with a high backrest. The armchair was pointed towards the large floor-to-ceiling window and somebody was sitting inside, although Bond couldn’t detect the person, not even in the reflection of the glass that had given him or her away.

Slowly, Bond’s fingers crawled to the Walther PPK underneath his jacket. He might be on vacation but that didn’t mean that he would remain unarmed, oh no. Throughout the years, weapons had almost become a part of his body and he found the cold steel underneath his fingertips easily, caressing the pistol, preparing himself to pull it out of its shelter within the blink of an eye. He had practiced this movement so often, he would hold the Walther faster in his hand than the person in the armchair would be able to react.

A first step inside the room. The intruder must be aware that he was there, must have heard the clicking of the key card and the door. Yet, no motion. Bond swallowed, creeping nearer.

He made the next step, followed by the third, until he was standing only some meters away from the armchair which was suddenly moved. It was a swivel chair that rotated very slowly to the side, into the direction Bond was standing.

Without thinking, Bond’s hand darted to his pistol but just when he wanted to pull the weapon out, the swivel chair got a push, released by the foot of the intruder, and made a full turnaround, revealing the person who was sitting in the deep cushions.

Bond’s eyes almost fell out of his head when he recognized who the uninvited guest was. For once, he was absolutely speechless but the other one did the talking, anyway.

„Welcome to Berlin, 007,“ Q’s quiet voice cut through the silence.


	4. The mission starts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for still sticking with me! :-) As always, feedback is very welcome. 
> 
> My lovely friend Blue_Night took care of the beta - thank you, dear! :-)

„Q,“ the agent replied dumbfounded, feeling like an absolute idiot. Of course, he should have known that his Quartermaster would track him even in his free time. The bastard knew exactly where he had been and which move he had made!

„I didn’t track you, if that’s what you are asking yourself,“ Q however said, still sitting in the armchair like a king on his throne, not making the slightest move to stand up or to come closer.

„But,“ Bond objected like a defiant child, slowly getting annoyed, probably because he felt like caught in the act.

„I have installed a face recognition system,“ Q continued with patience. „It scans everyone who enters the hotel. I have to admit that I have been a little bit surprised when the software matched with your face, but then I thought that I should welcome you personally as I was just around the corner.“

„How nice of you,“ Bond mocked, regretting his tone when Q stood up and approached, piercing him with his gaze.

„You don’t trust me, double-oh seven,“ the boffin stated, eye in eye with Bond. It wasn’t a question but a statement Q had uttered, insistently despite his youth.

„I do trust you, Q,“ Bond replied honestly. „I just don’t trust the others.“

A long silence between them followed until the Quartermaster finally looked away. „I’ll have to report to M that you are here,“ he said, his gaze traveling to the window and over Berlin.

„Fair enough,“ Bond gave back.

„But maybe she doesn’t have to know immediately,“ Q turned around, smiling at Bond, who raised an eyebrow in question. „Now that you are here, you could assist us,“ he continued. „The conference is huge and 009 and I can’t be everywhere at the same time.“

„I’m on vacation!“ Bond protested in the last attempt to keep up his cover. Yet, he didn’t even sound convincing in his own ears.

„Yes sure, that’s why you came here, isn’t it so?“ Q answered, both of them knowing the real reason behind Bond’s trip to Berlin. „So if you wouldn’t mind to interrupt your _vacation_ , I would be glad to have you on board. Are you in, 007?“

Bond was astonished about the openness of the young man. He would have awaited mockery, teasing, even anger, but all Q showed was a strange generosity Bond couldn’t really grab. Q was his superior, he could have easily ordered him into duty. Instead, he left him his dignity by letting him make the choice himself.

„Of course I am in, Quartermaster,“ Bond said, finally smiling at his counterpart.

 

***

 

About an hour later, they were sitting over the documents Q had brought with him because he had for sure anticipated that Bond would take part in the mission. The boy was always one step ahead, Bond realized stunned and with a bit of awe.

They were running through photos of several hackers, Q explaining their background to Bond. „That’s Alstom, here are Castor and Pollux, and here we have Fan,“ Q pointed at the profiles. „They are said to be the Quadriga, a famous hacker’s coalition which already did a lot of damage around the world.“

„Strange names,“ Bond commented. „Just like yours“.

The Quartermaster looked at Bond, taken aback. „Pardon me?“ he questioned.

„Your name, Q. In fact, it’s not even a name, it’s a letter. Why don’t people call you by your real name?“ The agent gazed expectantly at his Quartermaster, eager to eventually reveal his first secret.

„I have gotten used to the name Q, believe me, Bond. Probably I wouldn’t even react to my birth name any longer. Nobody has called me this way in a very long time.“ There was no hint of a smile in Q’s face, and the agent wondered why he had become that serious.

„So you won’t tell me?“ he made sure.

„No. See, you came here to - I don’t know, take care of the mission or keep an eye on it, if I put it in nice words - so you are not trusting me fully and I am not trusting you fully at the moment. If you want to learn about my name, you’ll have to find out yourself or gain my trust.“ Q rubbed his temples with both hands, suddenly looking even younger than he was, and very tired.

„Is this a challenge?“ Bond asked quietly, taking the files and stapling them.   
  
„Maybe, 007. Maybe it is.“

 

***

 

Q had continued to explain Bond the world of the hackers and the agent had listen carefully to him, although there was a weird tension between them.

Finally, Q had reached the last sheet and Bond decided that it was enough for the moment. „You should take a rest, Q,“ he said, „the conference will only start tomorrow in the morning. I assume that you will have dinner with 009 tonight and that I’m undesired?“

„He mustn’t know that you are here,“ Q replied.

„So we’re having our own under-undercover mission?“ The certainty of sharing a secret with his Quartermaster, of being his hidden shadow nobody knew about, sent a wave of pleasurable adrenaline through Bond’s body.

„I’m just trying to do what’s best for the task,“ Q shrugged while he took the files, ready to store them in his bag.

„You’re doing more than fine.“ The words had slipped out of Bond’s mouth and he didn’t regret them, staring at his Quartermaster, at his slim frame and the tousled hair.

Q flinched for a split second, before he continued to store the documents in his case. „Really? Is this some kind of compliment?“ he murmured.

„Maybe Q. Maybe it is.“

 

***

 

The Quartermaster was about to close his laptop when the screen of the device suddenly blinked in an alarming red.

„Shit!“ Q exclaimed, typing on the keyboard. „Shit!“

„What’s up, Q, tell me!“ Bond asked, stepping behind him so that he could throw a look at the screen.

„Someone entered my hotel room,“ the Quartermaster pressed out, „here.“ Another window popped up on the laptop and Bond sucked in the air sharply. „It’s 009,“ he muttered. „What the fuck is he doing there?“

Bond watched his colleague sneaking into the room, making sure that nobody else was inside.

„I told him that I would be away for two hours,“ Q stated, his eyes glued to the screen. „You double-ohs are dumb idiots if you assume that I wouldn’t notice what you are doing. Are you all going insane or what!? Bloody rookies!“ he cursed, his due to his anger flushed cheeks evoking a tingling sensation in Bond’s guts.

„We’re just not used to having such a foreseeing and technically skilled Quartermaster,“ the agent murmured, bending over Q to get a better view on the screen. Breathing in his scent that consisted of lemongrass and a surprisingly spicy note, 007 watched together with Q how 009 searched frantically for something inside the room.

„Look at the greenhorn,“ Q snorted, „as if I would leave the files unattended.“

„You’re not even leaving your agents unattended,“ Bond tried to joke, earning another snort in reply.

„And I know why,“ Q gave back, nodding in the direction of the screen.

All of a sudden, the door was opened again and another person entered the room, joining 009. The man was barely visible but, he held a large gun in his hands, threatening 009 who raised his hands in defense.

„Damn it!“ Q exclaimed, zooming into the scene. „What’s going on here? I have never seen that guy before.“

„Me neither,“ Bond replied, checking his pistol, „but he will become acquainted with me bloody soon.“


End file.
